The goal of the UCI Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) is to train students as biomedical research scientists who will make advances to improve the diagnosis, understanding and treatment of human diseases. Training is offered in a diverse number of medically related scientific areas. This is accomplished by means of a flexible, independently designed curriculum for the MSTP students. MSTP students can complete their Ph.D. studies in any graduate program at UCI. These include 8 programs in the School of Medicine: Anatomy & Neurobiology, Biological Chemistry, Environmental Toxicology, Epidemiology, Experimental Pathology, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Pharmacology, and Physiology & Biophysics; 4 departments in the School of Biological Sciences: Developmental & Cell Biology, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, and Neurobiology & Behavior; and departments in the Schools of Engineering, Information & Computer Science, Physical Sciences, Social Ecology and the Program in Public Health. Established in 1987, the MSTP has enrolled 143 students and has graduated 67. Typically, 6 new students are enrolled each year. Potential MSTP candidates are admitted based on: 1) academic performance reflected in grades and MCAT scores; 2) substantial research experience and potential; 3) personal characteristics and experiences assessed during personal interviews; 4) evidence of a strong commitment to a career in biomedical research; and 5) factors contributing to educational diversity. Primary facilities for MSTP students include abundant teaching and research space located in 25 buildings located on the UCI campus. The UCI Medical Center and the Long Beach Veterans' Administration Hospital serve as the primary teaching hospitals, and 118 affiliated hospital sites and the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic provide additional training experiences. Shared core facilities, such as the Molecular Biology Core Facility, Mass Spectrometry Facility, IMAGE Facility for electron microscopy and analysis, the Research Imaging Center, computing facilities, 5 libraries, and animal research facilities including a transgenic mouse facility, provide broad infrastructure.